Gladden the Heart – An Amish Revival?!
Yep! You read that right! Ever think you’d read a novel about circuit riders and revivals in the Amish community? Me either! But what a wonderful story Olivia Newport brings to her readers with her latest release, Gladden the Heart, fifth in her Amish Turns of Time series.
A host of characters rounds out this fascinating read: Susannah, Adam, and Noah in particular. Susannah is a sweet, young Amish woman. She loves where she lives, loves Adam, and is curious about the circuit rider preacher that lives near her. Adam loves Susannah, and is a devout Amish man. He tries hard to stick to their church’s Ordnung and anything their bishop says. Noah, Susanna’s most cherished cousin, is a minister in their 1847 Amish settlement.
When Noah suddenly starts going into a trance and preaches a VERY non-traditional Amish sermon, the entire community is in a dither: Some condemn him, others are confused. Interested in this new finding of Noah, Susannah agrees to help keep him safe during his trances…. which is in direct opposition to Adam’s view. Can they find common ground? What will become of Noah? Read and find out!
I was given Gladden the Heart in exchange for my honest review. I found it intriguingly wonderful! What a great storyline. Although fifth in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. To date, this is my favorite in the series. Brava, Olivia Newport!
Susan Ferrell and her husband make their home in the Atlanta Metro area. Although Susan struggles with chronic migraine headaches, she stays very busy as a stay-at-home mom to one very precocious little girl. While catching her breath, she feeds her Amishaholic tendencies by reading vast amounts of Amish literature!